First Cobalt Mine Coming to US

To build a $140-million cobalt mine in a national forest in Idaho, tiny Vancouver junior miner Formation Metals Inc. turned to the state’s chief rainmaker, Cecil Andrus. Mr. Andrus was Idaho’s longest-serving governor, a Democrat who was elected four times. The company wanted to unearth a metal used in turbines for jet engines and batteries, where demand could spike as electric cars become more common. It would be the only cobalt-focused mine in the United States. More than $600 million in cobalt is used in the United States each year. The top cobalt producting countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada.